SNL50 - Top 20 Sketches (Season 41 -50)

 

This is the last of the ‘pure’ sketches. A lot of them just have interesting premises. Lots of humour is derived from these bizarre circumstances. If you are wondering where some of your favourites are, they might be in the upcoming list of 50 recurring characters on SNL. There is still more to come!

HONORABLE MENTION:
THE SANDS OF MODESTO
EPISODE: S45E15 (03.07.2020)
HOST: Daniel Craig
MUSICAL GUESTS: The Weeknd
This would be the last episode before Covid affected the world. There are a lot of jabs at the new safety measures not realizing that some of them would actually take place in the future.
LINK: Click here

20. WEEZER FANS
EPISODE: S44E09 (12.15.2018)
HOST: Matt Damon
MUSICAL GUEST: Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus
Such a weird thing to getting worked up about. You know that the writers probably fought about this all the time. I side with Matt Damon, by the way.
LINK: Click here

19. ELF ON THE SHELF
EPISODE: S44E08 (12.08.2018)
HOST: Jason Momoa
MUSICAL GUEST: Mumford & Sons
Marshall is going through puberty and the elf doesn’t want to watch him anymore.
LINK: Click here

18. A RONA FAMILY CHRISTMAS
EPISODE: S46E08 (12.12.2020)
HOST: Timothee Chalamet
MUSICAL GUEST: Bruce Springsteen
Clever take on the spread of Covid. Lots of fun play on words. Pretty cute.
LINK: Click here

17. BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD
EPISODE: S49E17 (04.13.2024)
HOST: Ryan Gosling
MUSICAL GUEST: Chris Stapleton
Heidi Gardner absolutely loses it in this sketch. It reminds me of the breaking in Debbie Downer. Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day are in perfect make-up.
LINK: Click here

16. JUMANJI
EPISODE: S49E16 (04.06.2024)
HOST: Kristen Wiig
MUSICAL GUEST: RAYE
A valid reason for being scared of board games. They say ‘Jumanji’ a lot in this sketch. The ending could be a little stronger.
LINK: Click here

15. FUNERAL DJS
EPISODE: S45E06 (11.16.2019)
HOST: Harry Styles
MUSICAL GUEST: Harry Styles
Such a bizarre premise. I like the quick transitions from dubstep to sad songs back to dubstep.
LINK: Click here

14. AMERICAN GIRL CAFE
EPISODE: S48E14 (03.04.2023)
HOST: Travis Kelce
MUSICAL GUEST: Kelsea Ballerini
Awkward interactions with a male customer at the American Girl Café. So creepy.
LINK: Click here

13. ARBY’S 5 FOR 10
EPISODE: S48E07 (12.03.2022)
HOST: Keke Palmer
MUSICAL GUEST: SZA
I have always wondered this myself.
LINK: Click here

12. DIRTY TALK
EPISODE: S42E12 (01.21.2017)
HOST: Aziz Ansari
MUSICAL GUEST: Big Sean
Melissa Villasenor does not quite get the concept of dirty talk in the bedroom. Role playing is out.
LINK: Click here

11. BUSINESS GARDEN HOTEL AD
EPISODE: S47E08 (12.11.2021)
HOST: Billie Eilish
MUSICAL GUEST: Billie Eilish
Lots of great descriptions of the typical business hotel. Who hasn’t experienced some of this?
LINK: Click here

10. WATER PARK
EPISODE: S50E02 (10.05.2024)
HOST: Nate Bargatze
MUSICAL GUEST: Coldplay
Brilliant premise: sending a dead body down the water slide instead of carrying him down the stairs. Seems rational to me.
AMERICAN LINK: Click here

9. CANCELLING CABLE  
EPISODE: S47E05 (11.06.2021)
HOST: Kieran Culkin
MUSICAL GUEST: Ed Sheeran
Cable operators are the worst.
LINK: Click here

8. TABOO
EPISODE: S48E10 (01.21.2023)
HOST: Aubrey Plaza
MUSICAL GUEST: Sam Smith
Such disturbing clues. You sure learn a lot about people when you play this game.
LINK: Click here

7. THE WAR IN WORDS
EPISODE: S45E02 (10.05.2019)
HOST: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
MUSICAL GUEST: Taylor Swift
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’ Lydia in not great at correspondence. Like the present at the end.
LINK: Click here

6. MONKEY JUDGE
EPISODE: S47E13 (02.26.2022)
HOST: John Mulaney
MUSICAL GUEST: LCD Soundsystem
Such a strange concept but very funny. Mulaney is hilarious as Judge Tango.
LINK: Click here

5. CAREER DAY
EPISODE: S44E01 (09.29.2018)
HOST: Adam Driver
MUSICAL GUEST: Kanye West
Adam Driver cranks it up to eleven as an oil baron. Crush your enemies!
LINK: Click here

4. THEATRE SHOWCASE
EPISODE: S41E05 (11.14.2015)
HOST: Elizabeth Banks
MUSICAL GUEST: Disclosure
I show my students this on how not to do social issue plays. Love the parent responses. So funny.
LINK: Click here

3. PARKING LOT ALTERCATION
EPISODE: S50E10 (12.21.2024)
HOST: Martin Short
MUSICAL GUEST: Hozier
Have to give credit to the original version with Quinta Brunson but this one trumps it with a scene stealing cameo from Melissa McCarthy. She crazy. The charades are fantastic. I’ve included both versions.
AMERICAN LINK: Click here
ORIGINAL VERSION LINK: Click here

2. DINER LOBSTER
EPISODE: S43E18 (04.14.2018)
HOST: John Mulaney
MUSICAL GUEST: Jack White
While the songs have gotten bigger with more production value, it all goes back to this one. When Mulaney was a writer on the show, he always wanted this to be done and finally got his wish. It was worth it.
LINK: Click here

1. WASHINGTON’S DREAM
EPISODE: S49E03 (10.28.2023)
HOST: Nate Bargatze
MUSICAL GUEST: Foo Fighters
This sketch is perfection. The line delivery is fantastic. The observations about weights and measures make you wonder. Equality is not on the table though.  
LINK: Click here